Sliding shelf structure



March 10, 1936. o. M. OTTE 2,033,859

SLIDING SHELF STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 2, 1951 3 SheetJs-Sheet l INVENTO'RMarch 10, 1936.

O. M. OTTE SLIDING SHELF STRUCTURE Fi led Sept. 2, 1931 -3 Sheets-Sheet2 Maw 10, 1936. ofmw 2,033,859

SLIDING SHELF STRUCTURE Fi ep 1931 3Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Patent edMar. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application September 2, 1931,Serial No. 560,741

30 Claims.

' are desired.

I am aware that a large number of patents have been issued for slidingor extension shelf structures and an object of this invention is toproduce an extremely simple, rugged, full extension shelf structurecapable of being used in any compartment the side walls of which areprovided or capable of being provided or equipped with alignedchannel-like ways or guides for supporting the shelf structure.

A further object of this invention is to provide a full extension shelfstructure having but two main parts and being capable of utilization incombination with the channel-like ways or guides or shelf supports nowused for supporting the shelves in oven and broiler compartments ofelectric, gas or other stoves.

These, as well as other objects which will readily appear to thoseskilled in the arts to which this invention relates, I attain by meansof the structure described in the specification and illustrated in thedrawings accompanying and forming part of this application.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of a full extension slidingshelf structure shown in combination with aligned channel-like shelfsupport of a compartment such as a compartment of an oven or broiler andin this view the shelf is shown fully extended.

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective showing the shelf structure, thecompartment and a number of pairs of aligned channel-like shelf supportsfor the side walls thereof, and in this view the shelf is shownpartially extended.

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the grid or tray support of thestructure.

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the grid or tray of the structure.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view in side elevation and shows the side bars ofthe shelf structure both support and grid as they appear within one ofthe shelf supports or guideways of the compartment side walls when theshelf structure iscollapsed or wholly within the compartment.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of a portion of the shelf structure and showsthe same within 'one of the compartment guideways or shelf supports.

Fig. 7 is a detail view in plan of a portion of the shelf structureshown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views showing modified forms of the forward endstructure of the compartment guideways or shelf supports,

Figs. 10 and 11 are detail views of portions of .the shelf structureshown in Figs. 1 and 2 and are taken on lines AA and BB respectively ofFi 1 and Fig. 12 is a view in perspective of a portion of 5 the deviceshown in Figs. 1 and 2. i

The shelf structure proper consists primarily of two parts, preferably.made from iron wire rod. one of the parts comprises a. frame (Fig. 3)

which in the main is rectangular and which is 0 adapted to slide withinthe channel-like guideways or supports of the compartment. Thesesupports are preferably spot welded to the compartment side walls.

The other part of the shelf structure comprises 15 a grid (Fig. 4) whichin the main is rectangular and which forms the shelf proper.

The support frame has sliding movement with relation to the compartmentguideways andthis movement is limited so that when the shelf structureis in extended position, the support frame is extended about half way ofthe guideways and the grid about half way of the support frame wherebythe grid is substantially fully extended or outside of the compartment.

The support frame at its rear end has a fairly close fit within thecompartment side wall guideways so that the tipping motion allowed theshelf structure as a whole is reduced to a minimum; the clearancebetween the rear of the support frame and the guideway flanges is merelythat necessary to permit easy sliding movement of the support frame.

The shell structure as a whole is removable from the compartment sidewall guideways in order that it may be placed within one or the other ofthe pairs of such guideways which are arranged at different heightswithin the compartment in the same manner as the ordinary shelves arenow arranged or within different pairs of guideways with which ovenandbroiler compartments are now generally provided.

Each pair of guideways is provided with a forward stop for limiting theoutward movement of the shelf support frame and therefore the outwardmovement; of the grid. These stops take different forms as shown in thedrawings and the forward end of each upper flange is cut away to providea way for the easy insertion of the shelf structure within a pair ofguideways or supports. The forward end structure of the guideways isshown in Figs. 1, 7, 8, 9 and The support frame comprises a front memberII, a back member I! and side members, each 55 fence.

having an outer portion l3 and an inner portion 4.

Th support frame is generally rectangular and portions l3 and ll of eachside bar parallel one another and the compartment side walls.

Portions l3 and M of each side bar are connectedv by a short connectingportion l5 which preferably stands at right angles to portions l3 and M.The forward and rear ends of the side bars are bent at right angles, therear portion l6 being bent outwardly and lying below the back bar l2 towhich it is preferably spot welded. The forward ends I! of the side barsare bent inwardly and lie alongside of the end portions of the front barII and to these they are preferably spot welded.

The ends of front bar H. are bent upwardly and inwardly to formhook-like elements l8 which act as guides for the grid in its movementsrelatively to the support frame. The central portion IQ of the front baris depressed inwardly as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 7.

The grid which forms the shelf proper is composed of side bars, a frontbar, a rear bar and support rods which extend between the front and rearbars and which are preferably spot welded thereto.

These support rods are slightly longer than the distance between thefront and back bar and their rear ends are turned upwardly at rightangles to the remainder of the rods to form a back-stop or A rod extendsacross the tops of these upstanding back portions and is spot weldedthereto. This top rod at the corners of the grid is bent forwardly andextends forwardly a slight distance at which point each side is bentdownwardly and is spot welded to the side bars of the grid.

The side bars 20-a-nd the front bar 2| are preferably formed from ironwire rod bent into the shape shown in Fig. 4 and this rectangle isclosed by the back bar 22 which abuts against the rear portion of eachof the side bars 20. At its rear end, each side bar 20 is preferablybent inwardly as at 23, thence downwardly as at 24 and thence outwardlyas at 25. This bending forms a hook at the rear end of each side bar'which hooks under the inner bars I4. The back bar 22 which is welded tothe rear portion of each side bar at elbow 26 extends outwardly beyondinner portion Id of the support frame side bars and overlies the same,thus upper and lower bearing members are formed above and below theinner portion M.

The back bar 22 adjacent its opposite ends is preferably reduced inorder to retain an eye 21 which loosely surrounds the back bar and ispart of a short length of wire 28 which forms a stop pin turnablymounted within-such reduced portion.

Normally the stop pin on each side of the grid or on each end of theback rod 22 hangs downwardly and in contact with the forward side of theoutwardly extending portion 25 of the side bar so that it forms a. sfopas the grid is slid forwardly in the support frame and this stop at theextreme limit of forward movement collides with connecting portion l5 ofthe side bars.

The support rods which are numbered 29 are located in spaced relationabove the front and back rods 2| and 22 and are .preferably spot weldedto the same. These support rods at the rear of the grid are bentupwardly a short distance as at 30 and to the tops of these rods a rail3| is preferably spot welded. This rail at the rear corners of the gridis bent forwardly and downwardly, terminating at 32 at which points theends of the rails are preferably spot welded to the side rods 20 of thegrid. The rail is more in the nature of a finishing piece, theupstanding ends 30 of the support rod serving as a guard, back-stuporfence which prevents pans and the like from slipping off the back end ofthe grid, if the same happens to be pulled forward too rapidly.

The channel-like supports which are preferably spot welded to the metalsheets forming the compartment side walls are of channel-section having.a web 33, an upper flange 34 and a lower flange 35. The flangespreferably stand at right angles to the web and at the forward end ofeach channel-like support the top flange is cut away for a'shortdistance as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, 8, 9 and 12 at 36 so as toprovide a forwardly projecting portion or table 3'! on the bottomflange. That is, the bottom flange projects forwardly a distance aheadof the top flange whereby what might be termed an unroofed table isprovided at the forward end of each channel-like support. This unroofedtable is particularly useful in the operation of placing the assembledshelf structure proper consisting of support frame and grid, in place inone or the other of the pairs of aligned guide-like support members a"-tached to the compartment side walls.

The forward end of the lower flange of each channel-like support isprovided with an upstanding and backwardly extending stop member 38.This stop may be made in difierent ways and in Figs. 8, 9, 11 and 12 ofthe drawings I have illustrated several methods of forming the same.

In Fig.- 8, the stop 38 is'integral with bottom flange 35 while in Fig.9 the stop 38 is formed separately and spot welded to the underside ofbottom flange 35. In all forms, the stop member lies in the path ofconnecting portion l5 of the side bars and this connecting portion l5 inthe extreme forward movement of the support frame collides withthe stopand thus further forward movement of the support frame is prevented.

From this it will be seen that I have produced an extremely simple,rugged and efficient full extension shelf structure capable of beingused in oven and broiler compartments of stoves of practically all typesas well as similar compartments where it is possible to provide the sidewalls of the same with channel-like guideways or where the same arealready provided with such guideways.

In the ideal structure the support frame, the guideways and the grid orshelf proper will all be constructed of a non-rusting metal such as achromium nickel iron alloy of the type generally known as l88 of whichAllegheny metal is an example.

A less desirable but still highly eflicient structure is one in whichthe guideways, side members of the support frame as well as the sidemembers and the front and back members of the shelf proper areconstructed from such non-rusting metal.

, If the complete structure is made from a rustable metal or if anyportions of the same are made from a rustable metal, the completestructure or those rustable portions may be galvanized or coated withsome non-rusting metallic coating such as cadmium. For ovens or broilershowever such coating is not deemed necessary especially where theinter-engaging parts are made from a non-rusting metal.

Having thus described my invention what I consider new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with aligned oppositely positioned guideways for acompartment, of a support frame having front and back members and a pairof side bars each of which is bent intermediate its ends to providespaced inner and outer portions lying in parallel planes and which inturn parallel said guideways, a shelf slidable fore and aft on thesupport frame, means at the rear of said shelf for slidingly engagingthe inner portions of the frame side bars, a stop adjacent. eachguideway for limiting the outward sliding movement of said support frameand means for limiting the outward sliding movement of said shelf withrelation to said support frame.

2. The combination with aligned oppositely positioned guideways for acompartment, of a support frame having front and back members and a pairof side bars, each of said side bars being provided with spaced innerand outer portions lying in parallel planes and which in turn parallelsaid guideways, a shelf slidable fore and aft on the support frame,means at the rear of said shelf for slidingly engaging said innerportions of the frame side bars, means adjacent the support frame frontmember for holding down the forward end of the shelf, a stop adjacenteach guideway for limiting the outward sliding movement of said supportframe and means for limiting the outward sliding movement of said shelfwith relation to said support frame.

3. The combination with aligned oppositely positioned channel-likeguideways for a compartment, of a support frame having front and backmembers and a pair of .side bars each provided with spaced inner andouter port ons lying in parallel planes and which in turn parallel saidguideways and are joined by a cross connecting portion,

a shelf slidable fore and aft on the support frame, a stop adjacent eachguideway and with which the cross connecting portions of the supportframe side bars are adapted to contact for limiting the outward slidingmovement of said support frame and pivoted means adjacent the rear ofthe shelf for contacting with at least one of said cross connectingportions whereby the outward sliding movement of said shelf withrelation to said sup port frame is limited.

- shelf for engaging the inner portions of the frame side bars, meanscarried by the support frame front member for holding down the forwardend of the shelf, a stop adjacent the forward end of each guidevviay forlimiting the outward sliding movement of said support frame and pivotedmeans at the rear of the shelf for limiting the outward sliding movementofsaid 'shelf with relation to said support frame.

5. The combination with a compartment of parallel aligned oppositelypositioned channellike guideways, of a support frame having front andback members and a pair of side bars, each of which side bars isprovided with spaced inner and outer portions lying in parallel planesand which in turn parallel said guideways, a shelf slidable fore and afton the support frame, means at the rear of said shelf for slidablyengaging the inner portions of the frame side bars, means carried by thesupport frame front member for holding down the forward end of theshelf, a stop adjacent the forward end of each guideway for limiting theoutward sliding movement of said support frame and pivoted meansadjacent the rear of the shelf for limiting the outward sliding movementof said shelf with relation to said support frame.

6. The combination with aligned oppositely positioned guideways for acompartment, of a support-frame having front and rear bars and a pair ofside bars, these side bars being each bent at a point intermediate itslength inwardly to provide a stop-shoulder and to offset the innerportion of the side bar to a plane inside of the adjacent guideway, theouter portions of said side bars being adapted to slide in saidguideways, the inner end of said support-frame being provided withlateral projections slldingly engaging in said guideways to therebyassist in guiding the support-frame in its back and forth movements andto prevent its forward portion tilting downwardly when the support-frameis slid to its outer position, and a shelf slidable fore and aft on saidsupport-frame and provided at its inner end with devices for slidinglyengaging the aforesaid inwardly oflset portions of the side bars of thesupport-frame and for engaging said inwardly bent stop-shoulders of thesupportframe to arrest the outward movement of the shelf.

7. The combination with aligned oppositely positioned support members onthe side walls of a compartment, of a shelf and aremovable horizontalsupport frame therefor; said franieand shelf'being formed from'wire;saidframe being provided with frond-back and side' members; said sidemembers'being'bentintermediate their ends to provide offsets serving asstops for limiting the forward movement of the shelf with relation toits support frame; said shelf being adapted to slide with relation tosaid frame; said shelf at its rear end being provided with means forhooking under the side members of the frame whereby the rear of theshelf is prevented from tipping when the shelf is extended; the supportframe being provided with portions which extend laterally beyond theshelf and rest on the support members of the compartment side walls';

there being means for preventing the rear of the support frame fromtipping when the shelf is extended.

8. The combination with a compartment having frame supports extendinginwardly from its side walls, of a support frame formed from wire andremovably supported on said frame supports and having front and rearcross bars and side bars extending between said front and rear crossbars. a Portion of each side-bar being spaced a distance away from thecompartment side walls and serving as a shelf guide, a shelf formed fromwire and slidable fore and aft on the support frame front bar and at itsrear end being provided with loops which slidingly engage the shelfguides of the support frame for guiding and supporting the shelf.

9. The combination with a compartment having frame supports extendinginwardly from its sidewalls, of a support frame formed from wire andremovably supported on saidframe supports and having front and rearcross bars and side bars extending between said front and rear crossbars a portion of each side bar being spaced 8. distance away from thecompartment side walls side walls, of a support frame formed from wireand removably supported on said frame supports and having front and rearcross bars and side bars extending between said front and rear crossbars, a portion of each sidebar being spacedka distance away from thecompartment side walls and serving as a shelf guide, a shelf formed fromwire and slidable fore and aft on'the support frame front bar and at itsrear end being provided with loops which slidingly engage the shelfguides of the support frame for guiding and supporting the shelf; therebeing stop means for limiting the outward movement of the shelf withrelation to the support frame, said stop means being capable of beingrenderedineifective in order to permit the shelf to be separated fromthe support frame. a

11. A sliding shelf construction including a shelf having open hooksadjacent one end. a frame having longitudinal bars with. which saidhooks are slidably engaged for guiding and supporting said shelf on saidframe, said longitudinal bars havingtransversely extending means forslidably supporting said shelf, said longitudinal bars having bendstherein forming stops to limit the mitward movement of said shelf onsaid frame and having portions adjacent said stops extending laterallyin the direction of an open side of said loops. so that said shelf maybe removed. from said frame, the side extremities of said shelf beingspaced from a vertical plane of the side extremities of said supportframe.

12. A sliding shelf of wire construction including a supporting framehaving longitudinal bars and a suitable transverse bar connecting saidlongitudinal bars, a shelf formed from wire and slidable fore and aft onsaid support frame and being provided with engaging portions adjacentits rear end for slidably engaging said longitudinal bars for guidingand supporting said shelf, said longitudinal-bars having horizontallydeflected portions allowing a removal of said shelf from said frame,said bars having additional deflected portions for providing stops forlimiting the maximum outward travel of said shelf along said supportingframe, said shelf having upwardly extending wire portions adjacent theback and sides thereof for holding articles thereon.

13. Extension shelving for compartments comprising a support framehavingmeans for non-tiltably supporting the same in a compartment, saidframe having side rails running parallel to the side walls of thecompartment andrigidly connected fore and aft by cross members,,and aprovision shelf having its rear end slidably mounted on and loopconnected to the support frame side rails was to prevent upward tiltingof the rear end of the provision shelf, said shelf having its forwardend slidably mounted on the front cross member of the support frame,said front cross member having portions overhanging the sides of theprovision shelf for guiding the forward end of the shelf as it is movedto and fro on the support frame and preaoaassa venting accidental upwardtilting of the forward end of the shelf.

14. In a sliding shelf structure, the combination of a shelf member anda shelf support m r, said shelf member being slidably mounted on saidshelf support member, and means including. a member pivotally supportedon said shelf member adjacent the rear end thereof for removably andslidably supportingsaid shelf uponsaid shelf support member and movableinto and out of operative position for preventing the separation of saidshelf member and said shelf support member.

15. In a sliding shelf structure, the combination of a shelf supportmember and a shelf member slidably mounted thereon, said shelf memberadjacent the rear end thereof. having L-shaped members slidablycooperating with side members of said support member, and means forminga closed loop with at least one of said L-shaped members for holdingsaid shelf upon said support member said means including means foropening said 1003; in order to permit a removal of said shelf from saidsupport member. 1

16. In a sliding shelf structure of wire construction, the combinationof a shelf member and a shelf support member, said shelf support memberhaving oppositely disposed side members and being provided with meansfor mounting it in a compartment, saidshelf having means cooperatingwith said side members of said support member for slidably holding itupon said support member, means on said support member for limitingoutward movement of said shelf with respect to said support member, andadditional means extending upwardly from saidsupport member adjacent oneend thereof for cooperating with said shelf member and guiding it in itsmovement, said additional means being constructed so asto permit aremoval of said shelf member from said support member.

17. In a sliding shelf structure, the combination of a shelf supportmember and a shelf member slidably mounted thereon, said shelf havingsuitremovably supporting said shelf in its slide with respect to saidsupport member.

18. In a compartment having support projections incorporated in its wallmake-up, the combination of a sliding shelf structure of wireconstruction, said structure including a support frame and a shelfslidably mounted thereon, said support frame having side members and afront cross member for supporting the shelf, said support frame havinglaterally extending offsets for resting on the support projections of anadjacent wall of the compartment, said shelf having extensions at itsrear lying above and below the side members of said support frame, saidsupport frame having upwardly extending loop portions for cooperatingwith sides of said shelf for guiding it in its movement, and means onsaid support frame for preventing its rear from tilting when the shelfis extended.

19. In a sliding shelf structure, the combination of a shelf supportmember and a shelf slidab y mounted thereon, means adjacent the rear ofsaid shelf for removabiy and slidably holding said shelf upon saidsupport, said support member having a transverse member adjacent itsfront for slidably supporting said shelf in its movement member adjacentthe rear thereof having an open vloop portion adapted to flt over a sidebar of said shelf support member, the side bar of said shelf supportmember adjacent the front end thereof having a U-shaped portionprojecting in the direction of the opening of said loop portion of theshelf member, so that said shelf member may he slid thereto and beremoved from said support member, said shelf support member having aportion extendingupwardly with respect to an adjacent side rail of saidshelf member for guidably supporting said shelf in its slide withrespect to said support member. I

21. A sliding shelf construction including a channel-like guideway forcompartment side walls having its upper flange shorter than its lowerflange and having its lower flange provided with a hook-like stopadjacent its forward end formed by an integral projection on the lowerflange of said guideway and extending upwardly from the longitudinaledge thereof, said stop projection presenting a bearing edge toward therear portion of said guideway, a shelf having means slidably mounted insaid guideway, and means cooperating with said stop projection andengageable with said bearing edge thereof for limiting the forwardmovement of said shelf on said guideway.

22 A sliding shelf construction including a channel-like guideway forcompartment side walls having its lower flange provided with a stopadjacent its forward end formed by an integral projection on the lowerflange of said guideway and extending upwardly from the longitudinaledge thereof, said stop projection presenting abearing edge toward therear portion of said guideway, a shelf having means slidably mounted insaid guideway, and means slidable fore and aft in said guideway andcooperating with said stop projection and engageable with said bearingedge thereof for limiting the forward movement of said shelf on saidguideway.

23. Extension shelving for compartments comprising a support framehaving means for nontiltably supporting the same in a compartment saidframe having side rails running parallel to the side walls of thecompartment and rigidly connected fore and aft by cross members, aprovision shelf having its rear end slidably mounted on and loopconnected to the support frame side rails so as to prevent upwardtilting of the rear end of the provision shelf, said shelf having itsforward end slidablygmounted on the front cross member of the supportframe, said front cross member having portions overhanging the sides ofthe provision shelf for guiding the forward end'of the shelf as it ismoved to and fro on the support frame and preventing accidental upwardtilting of the forward end of the shelf, and means for limiting theoutward sliding movement of said shelf with relation to said supportframe.

24. In a sliding shelf structure of wire-like construction, thecombination of a shelf support member and a shelf member movably mountedthereon, said support member and said shelf member being formed fromwire and having suitable side rails, means voperatively associated withthe side rails of said members for movably and removably supporting onewith respect to the other, and means cooperating with the side,rails ofsaid members for ordinarily preventing an upward tilt of and permittinga removal of one of said members with respect to the other.

25. In a sliding shelf structure of wire-like construction, thecombination of a shelf support member and a shelf member movably mountedthereon, said support member and said shelf member being formed fromwire and having suitable side rails and suitable cross rails connectingtheir respective side rails, means movably and removably mounting saidshelf member upon said support member, and means mounted on one of saidmembers and cooperating with the other of said members for'ordinarilypreventing an upward tilt of and permitting a removal of said shelfmember with respect to said support member.

26.'In a slidlngshelf structure, the combination of a shelf supportmember and a shelf member mounted thereon, said support member and saidshelf member having suitable side rails and cross rails connecting theirrespective side rails means slidably mounting said shelf member uponsaid support member, at least one side rail of said support member beingdistorted for mounting said support member in a compartment and foracting as a stop tolimit the slide of said shelf member with respect tosaid support member.

27. In combinationfian oven having a pair of opposed sides, a pair ofopposed guideways respectively mounted on said sides, a rack adapted tobe removably supported in said guideways and having 'a rear end and anabutment spaced forwardly from said rear end, each guideway havingspaced apart upper and lower flanges, the upper flange having itsforward portion cut away and the lower flange having an upstanding lugadjacent its forward end, the distance between said lug and the forwardedge of said upper flange being less than the distance between saidabutment and said rear end of the rack, said lug and abutment in onepartly withdrawn position of the rack, being adapted to abutone anotherand the rear end of the rack at the same time engaging the under surfaceof the upper flange. Y

28. In combination, a pair of channel-shaped guideways arranged withtheir open portions in opposed relation, the upper flange of eachguideway terminating short of the forward edge of the guideway, eachguideway having a lug disposed in the open portion thereof at theforward end of the open portion, a rack having a pair of opposed sidestrips adapted to have sliding movement in the open portions of therespective guideways, and an abutment on each side strip and spacedforwardly from the rear end of said strip, the distance between each lugand the forward ,edge of the corresponding upper flange being less thanthe distance betweeneach abutment and the rear end of the correspondingside strip.

29. In combination, a pair of opposed horizontally alined guideways eachhaving an upper and a lower flange, the upperflange of each guidewayhaving its forward portion cut away, the lower flange of each guidewayhaving an upstanding lug spaced forwardly from the forward edge of theupper flange, a rack having side strips slidably received between theflanges of the respective guideways, and an abutment on each of saidside strips and spaced forwardly from the rear end of its side strip,the respective lugs and abutments adapted to engage when the rackapproaches the limit of its outward movement, said lugs, abutments andupper flangesbeing so formed and arranged that when'said lugs andabutments are in engagement the rear ends 'of the side strips of therack will be confined between said flanges on the guideways.

30. In combination, an oven having a pair of opposed sides, 'a pair ofopposed parallel guideways respectively mounted on said sides, and arack adapted to be removably supported in said guideways and having arear end corresponding in width to the distance between said guideways.the opposite sides of said rear end engfl'lng in said guideways, saidrack having an abutment spaced forwardly from said rear end, each ofsaid guideways having spaced apart upper and lower flanges, said lowerflange having an abutment adjacent its forward .end and said upperflange having its forward end terminating short of said last mentionedabutment, the distance between said last mentioned abutment and theforward end of said upper flange being less than the distance betweenthe rear end of said rack and said first mentioned abutment, saidabutments, in one partly withdrawn position of the rack, being inengagement and the rear end of said rack, at the same time, engaging theunder surfaces of the upper flanges of the opposed guideways.

O'I'HO M. 0m.

